Week 11: Cauliflower Chicken

Source: My Mom (story below)

Overall Impression: All-time Favorite
It was ... comfort food from my childhood and now Jeremy and Jordan love it too!  

Cauliflower Chicken (aka Alugobi)
Time =  1 hour
Servings = 6

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower
canola oil
4 chicken breasts
1 cup rice
2 1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon beef bullion
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Pour oil into a frying pan, with lid, until oil is 1.5 - 2 inches deep and heat over medium-high.  While oil is heating up, cut cauliflower into florets.  If some of the florets are big, cut in half.

Place cauliflower into hot oil.  Cook until golden brown - turn to make sure all sides golden.  Remove to paper towels to drain.  Discard oil and use a paper towel to wipe out the pan.  Place pan back on stove over medium heat.

Cut each chicken breast in half and place in pan.  Pour rice over and then water.  Add bullion, cumin and salt.  Then put the cauliflower back in the pan. 

Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to low and cover.  Let cook until all water is absorbed (about 20-25 min).

Story:

When my dad was in graduate school his roommate was from India.  One evening when my mom was visiting, his roommate made dinner for them.  My mom, being the great cook she is, was able to recreate it based on memory.

My whole childhood I grew up eating "cauliflower chicken" and loving it.  Then, many years later, my husband is working with a number of people from India. In the lunch room he smells what is clearly cauliflower chicken.  (You'll understand the distinct arroma if you make this dish.)  He asked the guy about the dish and was told it's called Alugobi.

Jordan loves this dinner and it makes great leftovers. 

Week 10: Chicken Gumbo

Source: Family Circle, October 2012

Overall Impression: Keeper
It was ... very easy and healthy.  I didn't even get a picture because it was devoured so quickly.  Jeremy said, "You can make this anytime."   

Chicken Gumbo
Time = 30 minutes
Servings = 8

Ingredients:

2 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
4 garlic cloves, diced
6 green onions, sliced, whites and greens separated
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package (8 oz) frozen okra, thawed
1/8 cayenne pepper*

Directions:

In a pot with a lid, bring chicken broth to boil.  Add rice, cover and cook until all liquid is absorbed.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken pieces and cook until no longer pink on the outside, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and scallions (white parts of the green onions).  Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.  Add oregano, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, salt and pepper.  Cook 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in tomatoes, okra and cayenne and bring to simmer.

When rice is done, stir into chicken mixture.**  Top with green onions.

Notes:

* Add some cayenne but wait until it's all mixed with the rice to taste and decide if you want more cayenne.  

** You may have to choose a bigger pot and put everything in there to stir.

Week 9: Chicken Pepperoni Pasta

Source: Cooking Light, February 2012

Overall Impression: Mambo Italiano!
It was ... easy, easy, easy!  And fast!  And full of flavor!  

Chicken Pepperoni Pasta
Time = 30 minutes
Servings = 8

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons olive oil

4 chicken breasts, cut in half*

2 garlic cloves

handful pepperoni slices

1/4 teaspoon Oregano

salt and pepper

25.5 oz jar marinara sauce

2 cups uncooked penne pasta

1 cup shredded part-skim 

mozzarella cheese

fresh basil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large, oven-proof iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken.  Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes or until slightly golden.

While chicken is cooking, peal and dice garlic.  Coarsely chop the pepperoni.  When you flip the chicken, sprinkle the garlic and pepperoni around the chicken.  Then sprinkle all with oregano, salt and pepper.

Pour marinara sauce over everything.  Put in the oven for 15 minutes.  

While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Add the penne and cook to desired consistency.

After the chicken has cooked for 15 minutes, top with mozzarella.  Turn the oven from bake to broil.  Cook until the cheese just starts to brown - about 10 minutes.  Take out of oven and put basil leaves on.

Serve one piece of chicken and sauce over pasta.  While the chicken and pasta were cooking, I also made a quick garden salad with romaine lettuce, shredded carrots and cherry tomatoes.

Notes:

* You should have 8 pieces of chicken.  To save some money, use 8 chicken thighs instead of 4 chicken breasts.  

Week 8: White Chicken Chili

Source: Pinterest*

Overall Impression: Wow!
It was ... so easy and really, really delicious.  Now I get the hype on Pinterest.

White Chicken Chili
Time = 15 min active, 8 hours in slow cooker
Servings = 8

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts or 6 chicken thighs
10.5 oz can diced tomatoes (undrained)
10.5 oz can kidney beans (undrained)
10.5 oz can corn kernels (undrained)
1 yellow onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
18 oz package cream cheese
1 package ranch dressing dry mix
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
optional - 1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

Put everything in the slow cooker in the order listed.  Break up the cream cheese and make sure it's down into the liquid (so it will melt).  Cook on low for 8 hours.  Stir it well 30 minutes before serving to make sure the cream cheese is all melted and the chicken breaks up.

Yep it's that easy!

*Notes

Pinterest is the worst enabler for a recipe junkie like me.  It's endless looking through everyone's boards.  And I've been on a slow-cooker kick lately.  So, when the pins started blowing up with this "white chicken chili" recipe I knew I had to try it.

I can't really source the recipe to one person or site because I looked at no less than five variations before I came up with the combined recipe shown above.

Honestly I thought about how it would turn out on and off all day long.  It seems that most things that get a lot of hype turn out to seriously lack luster.    But when I opened the door at home and smelled the wonderfulness that was coming from the kitchen, I knew we were in for a treat!

Jeremy said "Wow!" after one bite.  After about 5 minutes Jordan said "Why are you two so quiet?"  Jeremy said "Don't bother me, I'm eating."